Combination lock



March 1956 R. J. PERKINS 2,737,800

COMBINATION LOCK Filed Aug. 20, 1955 IN VEN TOR.

ATTCI R N EYS United States Patent "O COMBINATION LOCK Russell J. Perkins, Brookfield, Ill.

Application August 20, 1953, Serial No. 375,421

Claims. (Cl. 70-312) This invention relates to combination locks of the inexpensive type such as formed of metal stampings or plastic material instead of machined parts, and in particular a lock having a plurality of spaced jaws on a frame with the jaws adapted tojsnap over annuli having notches therein for securing the parts in locked relation and with numbered wheels adapted to turn the annuli to predetermined positions for releasing the jaws to unlock the lock.

The purpose of this invention is to provide an inexpensive combination lock or a keyless lock that is adapted to be used on ladies handbags, jewelry'boxes, tool boxes or other devices where the cost of an accurately machined lock would be prohibitive.

'In numerous instances it is desirable to provide a lock to prevent inquisitive prowlers opening devices and for such uses highly efiicient locks are not required. With this thought in mind this invention contemplates a comparatively inexpensive keyless or-combination lock wherein it is only necessary to set a plurality of annuli to certain numbers through openings or windows in order to-open the lock.

The object of this invention is, therefore, to provide means for forming a keyless or combination lock to prevent trifling individuals or inquisitive prowlers opening handbags or other luggage, chests and the like.

Another object of the invention is to provide a combination lock adapted to be used on ladies" handbags and other comparatively small articles.

A further object of the invention is to provide a comparatively elficient combination lock which is of a simple and economical construction.

With these and other objects and advantages in view the invention embodies a plate having spaced jaws extended from one edge thereof and adapted to be mounted in a frame of a ladys handbag, and a plurality of annuli with slots therein and adapted to be rotated by numbered wheels rotatably mounted on a shaft in a frame adapted to be installed in the opposite side of a ladys handbag or the like.

Other features and advantages of the invention will appear from the following description taken in connection with the drawing, wherein:

Figure l is an elevational view showing a portion of a ladys handbag or other device with the improved keyless or combination lock installed therein.

Figure 2 is a sectional plan through the upper part of a ladys handbag taken on line 2-2 of Fig. 3 and showing one of the jaw retaining annuli and operating wheel thereof in section.

Figure 3 is a cross section taken on line 3--3 of Fig. 1 showing the upper part of the handbag with the lock elements incorporated therein.

Figure 4 is a detail showing a section through one of the holding annuli, showing the annulus mounted by a hub on a shaft and showing a jaw extended into an open area in the annulus.

, 2,737,800 Patented .Mar. 13,, 1 956 Figure 5 is a view similar to that shown .in .Fig. 4 illustrating ajaw passing into the annulus with the annulus tilted to one side to admit the jaw.

Figure 6 is a detail showing a section taken online 6-6 of Fig. 4 showing a portion of the jaw retaining annulus and with the parts shown on an enlarged scale.

Referring now to the drawings wherein like reference characters denote corresponding parts the improved combination lock of this invention includes a plurality of substantially hollow annuli '10 mounted with flexible washers 11 on hubs 12 with wheels 13 also .mounted on the hubs and having numerals or other characters 14 on the peripheral surface thereof and jaws 15 extended from a mounting plate 16 and positioned to tilt the discs 1% to one side as the lock is closed and to snap in openings 17 in the annulus when the lock reaches the closed position.

The annuli 16 are formed with arcuate or beveled surfaces 1.8 and the jaws 15 are provided with similar surfaces 1? whereby engagement of the annuli with the jaws results in a sliding action and with the washer 11 of resilient material the annuli 10 tilt or move to one side, as illustrated in Fig. 5 permitting the jaws 15 to slide over the side surfaces of the annuli. The inner annular walls of the discs are provided with corrugations 2i) and slots 21 which extend through the inner walls in which the corrugations are formed and the outer walls 22, as shown in .Fig. 6.

The annuli 10 are secured to the peripheral edges of the washers 11 and the washers are mounted in annular slots 23 in the hubs 12.

The wheels 13 are also mounted on the hubs 12 being positioned on sleeves 24, which are of reduced diameter and the ends of which are peened outwardly as shown at the point 5 to secure the wheels in position upon the hubs.

The hubs 12 with the annuli and wheels mounted thereon are independently journaled on a shaft 25 and the shaft is journaled in a U-shaped frame having aback 26 with end sections 27 and 28. The end sections 27 and 23 are provided with openings 29 and 30, respectively in which the ends of the shaft are positioned.

The .U-shaped frame is mounted in an outer frame or cover 31 which is secured to a side wall 32 of a handbag with a flange 33 through which fasteners 34, as shown in Fig. 3, extend. The upper edge of the frame 31' is secured directly to a frame member 35 of the handbag by fasteners 36, similar to the fasteners 34.

The plate 16, from which the jaws 15 extend is secured by a fastener 37 between flanges 38 and 39 of a section 40 of the frame of the handbag and, as illustrated in Fig. 3, the jaws 15 extend through openings 41 and 42 of the frame members 35 and 40.

The cover 31 is provided with spaced slots 43 which are positioned to receive the wheels 13 and marks 44 on the cover indicate the correct positions of the numerals 14 thereon to align slots of the annuli with the locking jaws.

As an illustration, the number of the combination of the lock illustrated in the drawing may be 247 and with the numerals of this number positioned at the mark 44 the lock will open. It would be difficult, however, to open the lock without knowing the numbers of the combination.

It will be understood that the parts may be formed of stampings made of plastic or other suitable material.

The annuli, generally referred to by the numeral 10, may be formed of stampings, as shown, or these annuli or rings may be turned on a lathe, machined on an automatic machine, or formed by other means.

It will be understood that modifications, within the scope of the appended claims, may be made in the design and arrangement of the parts without departing from the spirit of the invention.

What is claimed is:

l. A combination lock comprising a plurality of annuli, each having an outer annular rim with a radially disposed opening therethrough, a shaft extended through said annuli, resilient means mounting the annuli on the shaft, to permit distortion of the axes of the annuli with relation to the shaft, means for rotating the annuli, and a plurality of jaws, said jaws being spaced to correspond with the spacing of the annuli and adapted to distort the axes of said annuli by reason of said resilient mounting to permit said jaws to pass into the spaces defined by the inner circumferences of said annuli and being removable therefrom only through the openings of the annuli when all of such openings are properly aligned with all of said jaws.

2. A combination lock comprising a plurality of annuli, each having an annular rim with a radially disposed opening therethrough, resilient means extended inwardly from the rim providing webs for the annuli, a shaft extended longitudinally through the annuli, means mounting the resilient means on the shaft to permit distortion of the axes of the annuli with relation to the shaft, means in combination with the resilient means and annuli for rotating the annuli, and a plurality of spaced jaws extending into the spaces defined by the inner circumferences of the annuli and positioned to pass through the openings of the rims when all the openings are properly positioned for opening the lock, said jaws being adapted to move the annuli to inclined positions to permit passage of said jaws into the spaces defined by the inner circumferences of the annuli when the jaws are not aligned with the openings for closing the lock.

3. In a combination lock, the combination which comprises a U-shaped mounting frame, said frame having a back with ends extended perpendicularly from the ends thereof, a shaft mounted in the ends of the U-shaped frame, hubs journalled on said shaft, annuli having annular rims with radially disposed openings therethrough positioned on said hubs, resilient washers, on the peripheral edges of which the rims are mounted, mounted in said hubs for retaining the annuli in spaced relation to the hubs and the inner surfaces of the rims and the inner faces of the resilient washers providing annular recesses around the hubs and at one of the sides of the annuli, wheels also mounted on said hubs and having indicia on their peripheral surfaces, and a plurality of jaws extended from a mounting plate and positioned to correspond with the annuli whereby the jaws are adapted to pass through the openings of the annuli when said openings are properly aligned therewith, said jaws being adapted to tilt the annuli, when said openings are not in alignment with said jaws to permit passage thereof into said recesses in closing the lock.

4. In a keyless lock, the combination which comprises a shaft, a frame in which the shaft is mounted, a plurality of hubs mounted on said shaft, annuli including hollow rims having openings therethrough and being positioned around said hubs, resilient washers mounted in the hubs and positioned with the peripheries thereof secured to said rims providing resilient means for mounting the rims on the hubs, said resilient washers being positioned at one of the sides of the rims and the inner walls of the rims and the resilient washers providing annular recesses at the opposite sides, wheels having indicia on the surfaces also mounted on said hubs, jaws carried by a mounting plate and extended from one edge thereof, said jaws positioned to correspond with the annuli and being adapted to pass through said openings when said openings are properly aligned therewith, said rims having arcuate edges on the sides at which the recesses are positioned and said jaws having arcuate ends positioned to coact with the arcuate edges of the annuli to tilt the annuli to facilitate passing of the jaws into said recesses, when said openings are not in alignment with said jaws, and a housing having slots therein positioned to receive the wheels and having marks positioned at the sides of the slots providing locating means for indicia of the wheels.

5. A combination lock comprising a plurality of annuli, each having an annular rim with a radially disposed opening therethrough, resilient means extended inwardly from the rims providing webs for the annuli, a shaft extended longitudinally through the annuli, means mount-' ing the resilient means on the shaft, said webs permitting distortion of the axis of the annuli with relation to the shaft means in combination with the resilient means and annuli for rotating the annuli, and a plurality of spaced jaws adapted to pass into the spaces defined by the inner circumferences of the annuli by distorting the axes of said annuli by reason of said webs, said annuli being positionable with said openings aligned with said jaws to permit said jaws to pass through the openings of the annuli for opening the lock.

Wildrick et al Mar. 16, 1926 Paganini Jan. 5, 1954 

